In the planning and design of major hydraulic structures and projects such as large reservoirs, it is essential to predict the magnitude and frequency of the maximum flood known as the design flood. For this purpose, flood frequency analysis is carried out, but this analysis needs a long record of flood data. Presently, a case study of Godavari basin with four gauging sites was undertaken with a view to predicting the floods of different return periods. Initially, flood frequency analysis was carried out by four different methods, namely, Gumbel’s, Log Normal, Log Pearson Type III and Foster’s methods, for the flood data of each of the four gauging sites so as to identify the most appropriate method. The results of the above investigations are analyzed and discussed and useful conclusions are arrived at.

Water is a prime requirement for existence of life, and thus it has been man’s endeavor from time immemorial to utilize the available water resources. Water occurs on the earth in all its three states, viz., liquid, solid and gaseous, and in various degrees of motion. Evaporation of water from water bodies such as oceans and lakes, formation and movement of clouds, rain and snowfall, stream flow and groundwater movement are some examples of the dynamic aspects of water.

The word flood comes from old English, of an Indo-European language root. It means a great flow of water; a body of moving water; the flowing stream, as of a river; especially, a body of water, rising, swelling, and overflowing land; a deluge; a freshet; and an inundation.

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